Responding to the boycott, Embu county secretary Johnson Nyagah, Health executive Jamleck Muturi and workers’ representatives held a closed-door meeting.

Then Nyagah came out to announce the Njue’s immediate suspension.

“Following an outcry occasioned by an allegation by Dr Mary Njoroge against the CEO of Embu Level 5 Hospital, the executive has deliberated and resolved to restructure the hospital’s management pending further investigations,” Nyagah said.

He said Daniel Njeru, a neurosurgeon, will be acting CEO.

Njoroge said the CEO, who was accompanied by other hospital officers, confronted her as she arrived to attend to outpatients.

Njue scolded her in the presence of the patients and the officers before slapping her in the face, the doctor said.

She said following the incident she was traumatised, embarrassed and unable to work.

But Njue denied the allegations, terming them as absolute nonsense.

“It sounds to me very childish that an adult can talk like that. She doesn’t want to be supervised and asked why she is late,” he said.

“The nurses were there, my security system was there, the CCTVs were there. Let her produce evidence. She just did not wish to submit to any supervision. It’s as simple as that. I am even surprised to hear her saying she was slapped.”